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Abscate
Samba Member
Joined: October 05, 2014
Posts: 22677
Location: NYC/Upstate/ROW
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 Posted: Sat Mar 09, 2024 2:21 am Post subject: Re: 1971 Westfalia “Fitz” saved from the scrapper |
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Are you keeping rough track of the hours on this? It’s great fodder for those who think you can scrape the rust off with a wire brush and paint it with rustoleum
🐻 🐻 🐻
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Shonandb
Samba Member
Joined: January 12, 2019
Posts: 1203
Location: Vancouver, BC
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| Posted: Sat Mar 09, 2024 10:39 am Post subject: Re: 1971 Westfalia “Fitz” saved from the scrapper |
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Aweome, just keep working away at it, but take the necessary breaks when needed.
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76 Westy with a 2.5L Subaru SOHC + Vanagon (010) Automatic Transaxle
Build & Trip Thread: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=758760
Previous 1973 Panel Bus:
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Ceckert64
Samba Member
Joined: September 16, 2015
Posts: 1964
Location: Manitowoc, WI
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| Posted: Sat Mar 09, 2024 12:30 pm Post subject: Re: 1971 Westfalia “Fitz” saved from the scrapper |
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| Abscate wrote: |
Are you keeping rough track of the hours on this? It’s great fodder for those who think you can scrape the rust off with a wire brush and paint it with rustoleum
🐻 🐻 🐻 |
No, I don’t know if I even want to know  I did some rough math and I’d guess 250 hours into it so far, it’s hard to say for sure because it could be way more or less. The rust will be getting scraped off soon and rustoleum will be applied
| Shonandb wrote: |
| Aweome, just keep working away at it, but take the necessary breaks when needed. |
Yeah, it’s a weekend on and a weekend off usually for working and then I work on it during the week. I am going back to Michigan next weekend, getting the yellow bus, transmission parts, Subaru parts and more parts and seeing family and friends in downstate Michigan. I just got to get all the work done before the end of April so it doesn’t turn into a disaster when I’m trying to move. I’m not sure if I’ll get the Subaru swap done by then but time will tell.
My current plan going forward is finish up the front frame repairs, re-install front axle, fix electrical issues, finish the rear floors, put outer skin of the rocker in and paint up all the metal. From there I want to get the new wood subfloor in, re-insulate the bus, new interior panels in and stick the camper interior back in. Then I’m going to make a good 3-rib transmission for the yellow bus, pull the 72s engine transmission, take out the 6-rib from that and put a 3-rib in and make sure that it’s good to go. From there I will start getting the Subaru engine ready, get it assembled as a unit with the transmission, and make sure it runs good. I will get the radiators installed on the red bus while it still has the 1600, and once everything else is ready do the swap. Basically this whole plan is to ensure I have transportation still and I don’t get too much torn apart at once and if I run out of time, it won’t be too bad to move everything. So can I get this checklist done in a little less than two months?
_________________
1964 sunroof Beetle Restoration "Herbie"
“Joann” 1970 Elm Green Squareback
1972 Sierra Yellow Tin Top Westfalia Camper
“Fitz” 1971 Westfalia Poptop |
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Abscate
Samba Member
Joined: October 05, 2014
Posts: 22677
Location: NYC/Upstate/ROW
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| Posted: Sat Mar 09, 2024 2:20 pm Post subject: Re: 1971 Westfalia “Fitz” saved from the scrapper |
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I got so tired reading that plan I had to nap midway through.
Keep at it. Let me know if you need a present from the Land of Lincoln. I think I have an obsolete Russian fighter plane upstate in my garage
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Shonandb
Samba Member
Joined: January 12, 2019
Posts: 1203
Location: Vancouver, BC
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| Posted: Sat Mar 09, 2024 4:25 pm Post subject: Re: 1971 Westfalia “Fitz” saved from the scrapper |
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Yeh, Aiden will make a good CEO some day as he is already very task oriented and seems to love knocking things off his "to do" list!
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76 Westy with a 2.5L Subaru SOHC + Vanagon (010) Automatic Transaxle
Build & Trip Thread: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=758760
Previous 1973 Panel Bus:
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Ceckert64
Samba Member
Joined: September 16, 2015
Posts: 1964
Location: Manitowoc, WI
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| Posted: Sat Mar 09, 2024 10:13 pm Post subject: Re: 1971 Westfalia “Fitz” saved from the scrapper |
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Thanks y’all, we’ll see where I end up at some point
I kept plowing through all day, and I got all the old cut out, new fit up in. First off I cut out the rotted out floor, a basically traced around the bad rust with the grinder. I got it opened up so I could get to the frame better for cutting and welding and the floor was garbage anyways.
Next I took some reference measurements of the bolt spacing.
Next I started cutting out the frame. I first cut out the smaller chunk where the proportioning valve mounts on. After that I cut the Y frame out. I cut it up at the end of where I was replacing. Once I made the cut, the small chunks of frame attaching to the inner front nose moved a bit so I lined them back up with the other part of the frame with ratchet straps going to the dash after that, I cut out the Y piece. It looked weird how empty the space was.
Then I decided to put the front beam back in and use it as an alignment jig to get the bolt holes in exactly the right spot, thankfully I did because the holes would have not lined up otherwise. But then I started welding in the frame chunks. I have to finish welding tomorrow but I’m happy there’s frame in place again.
Also, it’s strange how the frame rusted, my best guess is it either was in deep water, or it was rodent pee. I found some half eaten acorns in the frame so that could be it. Also the shift rod has a rust hole in it  The frame will be clean on the outside but very pitted on the inside
_________________
1964 sunroof Beetle Restoration "Herbie"
“Joann” 1970 Elm Green Squareback
1972 Sierra Yellow Tin Top Westfalia Camper
“Fitz” 1971 Westfalia Poptop |
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orwell84
Samba Member
Joined: May 14, 2007
Posts: 2539
Location: Plattsburgh, New York
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| Posted: Sun Mar 10, 2024 8:32 am Post subject: Re: 1971 Westfalia “Fitz” saved from the scrapper |
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| That’s strange how it rusted. The deformation on my bus was like that. Looked fine on the outside except for a couple of pinholes, but was rusting like crazy from the inside out. I ended up replacing the whole thing. It was a sucky thing to find. |
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Ceckert64
Samba Member
Joined: September 16, 2015
Posts: 1964
Location: Manitowoc, WI
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| Posted: Sun Mar 10, 2024 7:24 pm Post subject: Re: 1971 Westfalia “Fitz” saved from the scrapper |
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| orwell84 wrote: |
| That’s strange how it rusted. The deformation on my bus was like that. Looked fine on the outside except for a couple of pinholes, but was rusting like crazy from the inside out. I ended up replacing the whole thing. It was a sucky thing to find. |
I wonder if it’s just from water sitting in it and never drying out? No paint on the inside? Either way it’s strange, I’m sure a lot of busses are like this but no-one notices.
Today I the rest of the frame welded in so the frame on the left side is basically done. I have a spot to patch by the steering box still.
I also got the front axle beam wire wheeled down. Only two small pin holes in it thankfully. I also wire wheeled the underside of the front end.
I started working on the frame on the other side. For part of the patch I’m using the upper section from the top of the left side frame. It is pretty close flipped upside down.
Hopefully before I go to Michigan this week I can finish the frame up and prime the front end.
On another note, one of the songs that came on yesterday was “Down Under” by men at work, and the first lyric is “traveling in a fried out Kombi” It was a funny coincidence since I was a man at work under a fried out Kombi when it came on also the music video for it has a 1971 RHD panel in it
_________________
1964 sunroof Beetle Restoration "Herbie"
“Joann” 1970 Elm Green Squareback
1972 Sierra Yellow Tin Top Westfalia Camper
“Fitz” 1971 Westfalia Poptop |
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soissisc
Samba Member
Joined: April 04, 2007
Posts: 638
Location: Western Pennsylvania
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| Posted: Tue Mar 12, 2024 8:59 am Post subject: Re: 1971 Westfalia “Fitz” saved from the scrapper |
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You just need a vegemite sandwich!
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Mark
68 Westy
92 Jetta (oh it is retired)
99 Eurovan
05 NBC
06 Audi A3
72 Westy (I am going to fix it up) |
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Shonandb
Samba Member
Joined: January 12, 2019
Posts: 1203
Location: Vancouver, BC
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| Posted: Tue Mar 12, 2024 9:28 am Post subject: Re: 1971 Westfalia “Fitz” saved from the scrapper |
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[quote="Ceckert64"]
| orwell84 wrote: |
On another note, one of the songs that came on yesterday was “Down Under” by men at work, and the first lyric is “traveling in a fried out Kombi” It was a funny coincidence since I was a man at work under a fried out Kombi when it came on also the music video for it has a 1971 RHD panel in it |
This reminded me of something similar that happened to me when I was down at San Luis Lake/Reservoir in Colorado in the Bus travelling years ago. I was miles away from everywhere, and before putting in a cassette tape (yes a cassette tape) I did a radio station search as I had done earlier in the day but couldn't find a station signal.
From out of nowhere, the song "The End" from the Doors was on and all I heard was Jim singing:
"The blue bus is calling us
The blue bus is calling us
Driver, where are you taking us?"
and I knew I was going to be a good night. Whatever the station was, it ended up playing The Doors for about 4 hours straight. When I turned the radio on the next morning, no signal....
From that day on I always referred to my 73 Panel as "The Blue Bus".
San Luis Lake/Reservoir, CO
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*******************************
76 Westy with a 2.5L Subaru SOHC + Vanagon (010) Automatic Transaxle
Build & Trip Thread: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=758760
Previous 1973 Panel Bus:
Click to view image |
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Ceckert64
Samba Member
Joined: September 16, 2015
Posts: 1964
Location: Manitowoc, WI
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| Posted: Wed Mar 13, 2024 7:46 am Post subject: Re: 1971 Westfalia “Fitz” saved from the scrapper |
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| soissisc wrote: |
| You just need a vegemite sandwich! |
For the longest time I thought it said “a bite of my sandwich” then I looked it up yesterday since I’d never heard of a vegemite sandwich
| Shonandb wrote: |
| Ceckert64 wrote: |
On another note, one of the songs that came on yesterday was “Down Under” by men at work, and the first lyric is “traveling in a fried out Kombi” It was a funny coincidence since I was a man at work under a fried out Kombi when it came on also the music video for it has a 1971 RHD panel in it |
This reminded me of something similar that happened to me when I was down at San Luis Lake/Reservoir in Colorado in the Bus travelling years ago. I was miles away from everywhere, and before putting in a cassette tape (yes a cassette tape) I did a radio station search as I had done earlier in the day but couldn't find a station signal.
From out of nowhere, the song "The End" from the Doors was on and all I heard was Jim singing:
"The blue bus is calling us
The blue bus is calling us
Driver, where are you taking us?"
and I knew I was going to be a good night. Whatever the station was, it ended up playing The Doors for about 4 hours straight. When I turned the radio on the next morning, no signal....
From that day on I always referred to my 73 Panel as "The Blue Bus".
San Luis Lake/Reservoir, CO
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That’s an awesome story, if The End came on in that case for me I’d likely have been a bit creeped out, especially in other parts on the song Funny thing is one of the 3 CDs I have been listening to over the Co-op is The Doors album that has The End on it at the end of the album respectively. Now every time I hear the song I’ll remember this story.
Last night I got the front beam, rocker, and some of the underside primed.
_________________
1964 sunroof Beetle Restoration "Herbie"
“Joann” 1970 Elm Green Squareback
1972 Sierra Yellow Tin Top Westfalia Camper
“Fitz” 1971 Westfalia Poptop |
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Shonandb
Samba Member
Joined: January 12, 2019
Posts: 1203
Location: Vancouver, BC
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| Posted: Wed Mar 13, 2024 9:49 am Post subject: Re: 1971 Westfalia “Fitz” saved from the scrapper |
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"if The End came on in that case for me I’d likely have been a bit creeped out, especially in other parts on the song"
Yeh, there are some dark lyrics in there for sure but I was with a small group of friends who I met in Texas and spent that ski season in Vail with so all was good.
We were joking at the time about maybe we would be taken by aliens or something but although we didn't remember much of that night, we were all there the next morning and in one piece.... and my friends Jeep stuck halfway up a large sand dune, but that's a different story.
Anyway, the underside of your Bus looks great all welded up and primed. You are making good progress. Nice!
_________________
*******************************
76 Westy with a 2.5L Subaru SOHC + Vanagon (010) Automatic Transaxle
Build & Trip Thread: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=758760
Previous 1973 Panel Bus:
Click to view image
Last edited by Shonandb on Wed Mar 13, 2024 11:41 am; edited 2 times in total |
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Abscate
Samba Member
Joined: October 05, 2014
Posts: 22677
Location: NYC/Upstate/ROW
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| Posted: Wed Mar 13, 2024 10:47 am Post subject: Re: 1971 Westfalia “Fitz” saved from the scrapper |
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...you better run.,,you better take....cover....
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Ceckert64
Samba Member
Joined: September 16, 2015
Posts: 1964
Location: Manitowoc, WI
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| Posted: Mon Mar 18, 2024 7:42 pm Post subject: Re: 1971 Westfalia “Fitz” saved from the scrapper |
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| Shonandb wrote: |
"if The End came on in that case for me I’d likely have been a bit creeped out, especially in other parts on the song"
Yeh, there are some dark lyrics in there for sure but I was with a small group of friends who I met in Texas and spent that ski season in Vail with so all was good.
We were joking at the time about maybe we would be taken by aliens or something but although we didn't remember much of that night, we were all there the next morning and in one piece.... and my friends Jeep stuck halfway up a large sand dune, but that's a different story.
Anyway, the underside of your Bus looks great all welded up and primed. You are making good progress. Nice! |
Those are the best nights I had one bus camp out where there was one less person the next morning  It’s a funny story since he’s fine but that was a scary way to start the morning
Thanks! I didn’t get anything done over the weekend but I got the underside painted today along with the front beam. A few days to dry and then I’ll install them.
Thursday I finished the work day and started the drive home. I stopped and picked up a few parts on the way, the beginning of the Subaru swap. The first Subaru parts were in traverse city and I picked up some resurfaced/rebuilt heads that are extremely nice. The guy I bought them from was a Subaru guru and knew a lot so these head should be good. I also got a the full intake, wiring harness and ECU from the guy, it was basically just-add-a-short-block kit. The wiring harness has zero cuts and even still has the ignition with key in it. I got that for a fair price.
I went home to midland till Saturday and I got the yellow bus along with its original 72 transmission and a picked up a 71 transmission, one I pulled from a junkyard along with other parts. I then went to visit a friend at MSU Saturday night.
I took a friend from MSU to U of M Sunday morning, picked up a Subaru short block in Ann Arbor from my friend Liam’s mom’s house. I also picked up a bunch of his Subaru parts so we can swap on a turbo to his. I also got his cherry picker and engine stand to use. Then I left there and drove the yellow bus out of Michigan through Indiana, Illinois, and into Wisconsin and made amazing time for the bus and got to Manitowoc at 5pm Sunday. Then I fell asleep shortly after that and got nothing done today was a lot of unpacking from the trip and getting stuff somewhat organized. The yellow bus raised up a few inches after unloading everything
_________________
1964 sunroof Beetle Restoration "Herbie"
“Joann” 1970 Elm Green Squareback
1972 Sierra Yellow Tin Top Westfalia Camper
“Fitz” 1971 Westfalia Poptop |
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Abscate
Samba Member
Joined: October 05, 2014
Posts: 22677
Location: NYC/Upstate/ROW
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| Posted: Tue Mar 19, 2024 4:34 am Post subject: Re: 1971 Westfalia “Fitz” saved from the scrapper |
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| Abscate wrote: |
| ...you better run.,,you better take....cover.... |
Good advice on welding underneath.
I see the Creator has put a check mark of approval on your driveway…
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Ceckert64
Samba Member
Joined: September 16, 2015
Posts: 1964
Location: Manitowoc, WI
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| Posted: Wed Mar 20, 2024 7:17 pm Post subject: Re: 1971 Westfalia “Fitz” saved from the scrapper |
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| Abscate wrote: |
| Abscate wrote: |
| ...you better run.,,you better take....cover.... |
Good advice on welding underneath.
I see the Creator has put a check mark of approval on your driveway…
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Thankfully most of the welding is done underneath, but I still have weld splatter fall into my shoes and melt into my socks 
Monday I got the underside and front beam painted, I got pictures of that finally
Tuesday I got strips of steel cut out for patching the floor. I’m going to take them to work and see if they’ll let me bend them in the sheet metal bender. I also got a lot of rust cut out and squared off.
Today I made a cardboard template for the front wheel arches and cut out the patch pieces from there.
I covered the section of the rear inner wheel arch in tape and peeled it off to use as a template. I cut it out of steel and bent it on the vise with a screwdriver and claw hammer, it’s a little ugly but pretty good all things considered
After I got that in I was on a mission to get the outer skin on. It’s been bugging me and I’ve been wanting to get the rocker done. It ended up turning out really good. I didn’t warp the metal and you could almost get away with no filler. I probably won’t put any in.
Then I cleaned up the front post to prep for the main rocker. I used the grinder as much as a could, and the a screwdriver to get some more metal off. Then I used the harbor freight 1/2” belt sander to get in close. That thing is handy for random tight spots.
Then when I was picking stuff up at harbor freight yesterday I think I found the other most obnoxious colored car besides mine
_________________
1964 sunroof Beetle Restoration "Herbie"
“Joann” 1970 Elm Green Squareback
1972 Sierra Yellow Tin Top Westfalia Camper
“Fitz” 1971 Westfalia Poptop |
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Abscate
Samba Member
Joined: October 05, 2014
Posts: 22677
Location: NYC/Upstate/ROW
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| Posted: Thu Mar 21, 2024 4:13 am Post subject: Re: 1971 Westfalia “Fitz” saved from the scrapper |
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Yes, that silver van sure looks stupid.
| Quote: |
| and the first lyric is “traveling in a fried out Kombi” It was a funny coincidence since I was a man at work under a fried out Kombi |
You will go far in life , and you will be loved.
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Shonandb
Samba Member
Joined: January 12, 2019
Posts: 1203
Location: Vancouver, BC
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| Posted: Thu Mar 21, 2024 8:49 am Post subject: Re: 1971 Westfalia “Fitz” saved from the scrapper |
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Yes, Buses are magnets to creative types.... However, I'm not creative in the least so I still don't know what draws me to VW Buses..... 
_________________
*******************************
76 Westy with a 2.5L Subaru SOHC + Vanagon (010) Automatic Transaxle
Build & Trip Thread: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=758760
Previous 1973 Panel Bus:
Click to view image |
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Ceckert64
Samba Member
Joined: September 16, 2015
Posts: 1964
Location: Manitowoc, WI
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| Posted: Thu Mar 21, 2024 8:49 pm Post subject: Re: 1971 Westfalia “Fitz” saved from the scrapper |
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| Abscate wrote: |
Yes, that silver van sure looks stupid.
| Quote: |
| and the first lyric is “traveling in a fried out Kombi” It was a funny coincidence since I was a man at work under a fried out Kombi |
You will go far in life , and you will be loved.
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What silver van? Oh wait, it doesn’t matter they all look stupid anyway
| Shonandb wrote: |
| Yes, Buses are magnets to creative types.... However, I'm not creative in the least so I still don't know what draws me to VW Buses..... |
I think the great part about busses is that they are these massive vehicles that can fit a ton of stuff, be lived in, but yet small in foot print. They also just are a “happy vehicle”. They definitely do have a strange draw
Today I got the long rocker welded in, I took it slow, kept trimming as I went and it turned out good. I’m really happy with it. Barely any warping on it. It also was best I didn’t do the floor yet since it would have been in the way of welding the sides in. It has zero tin-canning either so that was a great surprise. I have been worried about this panel and it turned out better than I expected. Good enough for this turd bus
_________________
1964 sunroof Beetle Restoration "Herbie"
“Joann” 1970 Elm Green Squareback
1972 Sierra Yellow Tin Top Westfalia Camper
“Fitz” 1971 Westfalia Poptop |
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Abscate
Samba Member
Joined: October 05, 2014
Posts: 22677
Location: NYC/Upstate/ROW
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| Posted: Fri Mar 22, 2024 3:34 am Post subject: Re: 1971 Westfalia “Fitz” saved from the scrapper |
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That’s some nice bead work there.the Creator laughs at me by creating talented people like you.
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